Bust supporter



Dec. 13, 1932. C Gl FORD 1,890,507

BUST SUPPORTER Filed Jan. 50, 1930 div/1e CG/f/Q/d 351166! @Miomeaad Patented Dec. 13, 1932.

UNITED STATES- JANE c. emrom), or NEW Your: N. Y.

Btrsr surronrnn Application filed January 30, 1980. Serial No. 424,535.

My invention relates to wearing apparel and more particularly to a garment of the type of bathing suit having a self-contained means for supporting the bust portion of the human figure.

In the prior art it has been found difficult to obtain a satisfactory support'of the bust while preserving graceful appearance and freedom of movement. For thispurpose it has been customary to employ. a separate garment of the well-known type'of 'brassiere, having a front piece, shoulder straps and band across the back connected to the shoulder straps. Such a type of garment by exerting a circumscribing pressure around the 'figure of the wearer, compressed the bust, thus holding it back firmly. It has been found in practice that the effect created by this means of support is inartistic in that it produces a rigid appearance and restrains the natural movement of the upper portion of the body, thus detracting from the effect of grace and ease essential to present day modes. The fact that it constricts the chest and hampers the shoulder movements renders it unsuitable for wear in any athletic pursuit, more particularly swimming, and the compression exerted by it tends to break down and render flabby the muscular structure of the bust. It has also been found in practice that'the brassiere is unsightly when worn with modern garments of the type of sun-tan bathing suit in which the back is substantially cut away. The back strapof the brassiere, which is an essential structural feature, is exposed to view and detracts from the harmony of line and modish appearance of the suit.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a means of supporting the bust selfcontained within an outer garment and em ploymg as a principle of support the upward tension of the outer garment toward the shoulders rather than the constriction: ofthebust within a circumscribing band, and thus eliminating among others the disadvantages stated above. Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunctionwith the-ac companying drawing which forms a part of this specification and in which and of any desired material, is provided with drawing. Moreover, the material is not laid Figure 1 is adiagrammatic arrangement showing the manner in whlch my garment may be worn on a womans form, the construction of the bust supporter, where concealed by the front piece, being indicatedby dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation thereof, the interior construction of the bust supporter where concealed by the back piece being indicated by dotted lines. F igure, 3 is a cross section of Figure 2 taken at 3-3, and

Figure 4.- is a detail view of the construction of the bust supporter.

Referring more particularly to the drawing in which like reference characters denote like" parts, the body of the bathing suit or dress, which may be made up in any desired manner a front portion 1 which is adapted to extend down toward the waist of the wearer and is adapted to be dropped below the arm pits. It also includes a back portion 2- adapted to fit the back of the wearer. At the top, the front and back pieces are joined with the customary shoulder straps 4 as is well understood. f

To prevent the bust portion of the garment from stretching or sagging and to supportthe bust of the wearer I rovide a transverse strip of material 5 exten ing across the bust portion of the figure underneath the front piece of the garment, and fasten it in any suitable manner such as, for example,-to the front piece 1 along the lower seam 6, the upper seam 9 and to' the side seams of the garment between the front'and back pieces adjacent the arm-holes. The material composing the transverse strip 5 is. shaped in such a manner that the upper edge 7 of the strip is longer than the lower edge 8. In referring to the edges 7 and 8 as upper and lower I have reference to their relation as viewed in the flat along the seam 6, but is preferably gathered so that the transverse strip 5 toward its upper portion, may be sufiiciently slack to adapt itself to the fullness of the bust of the wearer. The lower edge 8 of the transverse strip is shaped in such a manner that it fol- 9 and at the points 12 and 12', the transverse strip is attached to elastic bands 10 and 10, and 11 and 11, these bands being attached to the elastic bands 13 and 13', which are attached to the upper front portion of the shoulder stra of the garment. These elastic bands ta e up all of the slack portion of the transverse strip not required for adjustment to the fullness of the. bust, thus causing the strip to fit snugly around the lower portions of the breasts. The upward tension of the bands toward theshoulder causes, the transverse strip 5 to exertan upward pull against the lower portion of the breasts and thus affords support to the bust. In this manner the bust is upheld firmly by a natural reinforcement of the muscular structure thereof, while at the same time it is left free and its natural structure is preserved "and defined. t

It is seen that this garment afiords support without either rigidity or compression, thus enabling the wearer to present a graceful appearance and preserve perfect freedom of movement. 7

It is also seenfparticularly with reference to Figure 2, that this means of bust support is particularly adapted for use in garments of which the back is cut very low, as in the type of sun-tan bathing suit, and wherein the 'back strap of the brassiere type of bust sup porter would be exposed to view.

Afurther advantage of my invention is that the wearer has in one unified garment the equivalent of two independent garments of the prior art. The combined garment may be put on or taken ofi with greater facility than the independent garments and requires fewer adjustments and fastenings.

The invention is particularly advantageous in garments of the type of bathng suit, in that the bust supporter being combined with the suit, is not subject to separation or loss. My invention is only shown in a garment of the type of bathing suit. It is obvious that there are possible modifications without departing from the spirit of my invention. For example it is applicable to underwear, even-.

ing dress, or any article of apparel in which it is desired to eliminate the unsightly'brassiere, and preserve'the advantages described above. For these reasons I do not wish to be limited by this description, but only by the prior art and the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a womans garment of the type that is cut low in the back so as to expose the central part of the back of the wearer, a bust supporter comprising a transverse piece of material extending across the inside of the front portion of the garment above the lower extremity of the cut low portion of the back and terminating at the sides of the garment, thereby leaving the central portion of the back of the wearer entirely exposed and avoiding a circumferential restriction around the bust of the wearer, said transverse piece of material being stitched to the front portion of the garment along one edge and having portions of the opposite edge free to fit under the breasts of the wearer, and strap connections attached to the transverse strip adjacent-its free edge p'ortions,- extending upwardly and attached to the upper part of the garment.

2. In combination with a womans garment of the type that is cut low in the back so as to expose the central part of the back of the wearer, a bust supporter comprising a transverse piece of material extending across the inside of the front portion of the garment above the lower extremity of the cut low portion of the back and terminating at the sides of the garment, thereby leaving the central part ofthe back of the wearer entirely exposed and avoiding a circumferential restriction around the bust of the wearer,

said transverse piece of material being stitched to the front portion of the garment along one edge and at its ends and having portions of the opposite edge free to fit under the breasts of the wearer, said transverse piece having connections at spaced points adjacent its free edge portions to the upper part of the garment near the sides thereof and-near the center of the front portion thereof. a

' 3. In combination with a'womens garment of the type that is cut low in the back so as to expose the central part of the back of the wearer, a bust supporter comprising a transverse piece of material extending across the inside of the front portion of the garment above the lower extremity of the cut low portion of the back and terminating. at the sides of the garment, thereby leaving the central part of the back of the wearer entirely exposed and avoiding a circumferential restriction around the bust'of the wearer, said transverse piece of material being shaped along. one edge to follow the lower outer curve of the bust and stitched to the front portion of the garment alon such edge and at the ends, the opposite e ge of said transverse piece being longer to rovide a fullness and having free portions or fitting beneath the breasts of the wearer, and shaped to follow the curve of the bust close to the body, and elastic strap connections attached to the free ed e portions of the transverse piece adjacent 1ts outer and central portions, those strap connections adjacent each breast having connection with the adjacent shoul-. der strap of said garment.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JANE GGIFFORD. 

